Railway semaphore-signal.



No. 856,506. I PATENIED JUNE 11, 1907.

' H. M. ABERNETHY.

RAILWAY SEMAPHORB SIGNAL. APPLICATION rILnn JULY 23, 1906.

ESHEETE-SHEBT 1.

No. 856.506. PATENTED JUNE 11, 1907.

H. M. ABBRNETHY.

RAILWAY SEMAPHORE SIGNAL. APPLICATION rmm JULY as, 1906.

2 SHEETS-SHEET =4v Z6 3666" Z?wici'ar.' QMWM Jaw/71am? UNITED STATES PATENT- OFFICE.

OHIO.

HARRY M. ABER-NETI-IY, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE AMERICAN RAILWVAY SIGNAL COMPANY, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF RAILWAY SEMAPHORE-SIGNAL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented. June 11, 1907.

Application filed July 23,1906. Serial No- 327.427.

1'0 to whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, HARRY M. ABERNETIIY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Cleveland, in the county of Cuyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Railway Semaphore- Signals, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to semaphore signals and the principal object of the invention is to provide reliable and efficient means for cushioning the jar caused by the blade and spectacle frame when they assume a position to indicate the different signals.

Another object is to provide a mechanically operated brake n'iechanism which is automatic in its action and which is accumulative in force and effect from its initial movement to its final stopping point.

Still another object is to provide a retard ing device for signals comprising a fan or blower winch will automatically throw out its blades or vanes to catch the air when the fan is rotated in one direction, and which will automatically fold its blades to render the fan inoperative when the fan is rotated in the opposite direction.

A further object is to provide ,means for causing the signal blade to be moved downward and assume a pendent or safety position, in connection with a fan or blower, the vanes of which will fold into an inoperative position during such downward movement of said signal blade, and thus do not impose an extra load upon the motor or operating power, while when the signal blade is moving upward by gravity to its stopping position, the fan blades or vanes are automatically thrown outward to catch the air and to prevent the semaphore blade from coming to a sudden stop. Such a device is particularly desirable for this purpose, because the speed of the fan is commensurate with the speed of the semaphore blade-that is to say, if the blade moves rapidly, the fan rotates rapidly, and vice versa.'

The foregoing objects and advantages are attained by means of the construction illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of a semaphore signal of the usual or any suitable construction provided with an automatic fan brake made in accordance with my present invention; Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the operative parts of the signal and brake mechanism; Fig. 3 is a detail elevation of the fan showing two of the vanes lap ed or folded in line of rotation of the fan s iaft, the latter being shown in section Fig. 4 is a detail sectional view taken through one of the vanes of thefan on the line mac, Fig. 3, and showing the vane in full lines in the inoperative position illustrated in Fig. 3, and in dotted ines thrown out to catch the air to act as a brake or retarder; and Fig. 5 is a detail perspective View of one of the rods or arms upon which the vanes are pivoted.

Referring to the accompanying drawings for a more particular description of my present invention, a, designates the mast or post for supporting the semaphore blade and speetacle frame. As shown in the drawings, this but it will be understood that my cushioning device or brake is applicable to any of the known forms of signals, in which the semaphore blade and spectacle frame of any suitable construction is mounted upon a suitable support and actuated by any desired power. For the purpose of illustration, I have show'n a hollow post a, and a suitable casing b, for containing the brake mechanism. At the upper end of the post a, is secured a hollow casting c, said casting having a laterally extended hollow p'ortion (Z within which a quadrant sheave e is pivoted, said sheave carrying the semaphore blade f and the spectacle frame 9. The semaphore blade is secured to the upper projectin end h of the spectacle frame casting, and t e weightof the casting is greater than the weight of the blade, hence the tendency of the blade to assume a horizontal or danger position is constant.

Connected to the quadrant sheave e is a chain i, which extends down from the sheave through the hollow post a to the o crating mechanism in the casing b. In the ame or casing b a grooved pulley 7c is mounted to rotate, and secured to this pulley is the lower end of the chain i. At the side of the pulley gear wheel Z which meshes with a small pinion m on a stub shaft n, projecting from the inner wall of the casing 12. A large crown gear wheel 0 is mounted to rotate on the stub shaft 12 at the side of the pinion m, and this gear wheel 0 meshes with a clutch pinion p,

mast is in the form of a hollow metal tube,

k, and fixed to the same shaft, is a large crown mounted to slide on a shaft 9 driven by the motor 1*. The clutch pinion p has a serrated clutch face s on one end thereof, and an enlargement t on the other end. The serrated face 8 is adapted to engage a similar face u on the shaft q, and to shift the clutch into and out of engagement with said face a, a solenoid 'v is supported on the frame or casing b, and a sliding core w is pivotally connected to a lever ac, pivoted at y, and provided with a head y disposed between the clutch face 8 and the enlargement 25, said lever having an angular arm provided with a weighted end, 'y

Mounted on the free end of the shaft q is the fan which forms the subj eat-matter of the foregoing invention. A disk or huh, I is fixed to the shaft q, and is provided with a series of tangentially-arranged sockets, 2,

and fitted into these sockets are the arms orrods 3, upon which the vanes or blades 4 of the fan are pivotally mounted. The arms 3 may be secured in the sockets 2 by means of screws or bolts 5, and are thus readily removed, and this construction permits any suitable number of vanes to be used depending upon prevailing conditions. The arms or rods 3 are each provided with a stop or projection 6 for the fan blade, and at the outer end of said arm is a head or flange 7. The fan blades 4 may be formed of thin sheet metal or other suitable material, and are each provided with a tubular portion 8, surrounding the arm 3 and mounted to turn freely thereon, and at the point where the stop 6 on the arm 3 passes through the vane, the metal is turned down on the vane, as at 9.

The operation of the brake may be briefly described as follows: When the semaphore blade is moved in a downward direction, the solenoid is within the energized magnet, and the lever :c is caused to assume the position shown in Fig. 2 and engage the clutch faces 8 and u, and the fan blades fold up into the line of rotation and do not offer any resistance. During the upward movement of the semaphore blade, the solenoid core is withdrawn from the deenergized magnet by the weight f, the clutch faces disengaged and the fan blades are thrown out to catch the air and cushion the jar of the semaphore blade and spectacle frame in coming to a stop, the stop or projection 6 serving to stop the fan blades when they are swung out, as will be understood.

Various changes may be made in the details of construction without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I desire to secure by Letters Patent and claim is 1. In a semaphore signal, a folding fan, the blades of which fold or lap. over each other, while being driven in one direction, against the wind, and which open out and catch the wind while being driven in the opposite direction.

2. In a semaphore signal, a fan, the blades of which fold to offer no resistance to the wind while the semaphore bladeis moved in one direction, and which open out to catch the wind when the semaphore blade is moved in the o posite direction.

3. In a semaphore signal, a fan comprising a hub or disk, a series of arms secured to said hub, and a fan blade pivoted to each arm.

4;. In a signal, a fan provided with pivotally mounted blades adapted to fold when the fan is moved in one direction and to be thrown out to catch the wind when moved in the opposite direction.

5. In a signal, a fan comprising a hub or disk, a series of arms projecting tangentially from said hub or disk, fan blades pivotally mounted on said arms, and a stop on the arms for holding the blades in extended or open osition.

6. n a signal, a fan provided with pivoted blades, means whereby said fan is revolved at each operation'of the signal, and means whereby the blades of the fan are thrown out to catch the wind when the signal is operated in one direction.

HARRY M. ABERNETHY.

In presence of J AS. H. BLACKWOOD, MAY M. PLYER. 

